Composer

:

Hans Pfitzner

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song: Art Song

Average_duration

:

2:03

Gretel, Op. 11/5 is a song composed by Hans Pfitzner in 1901. It was premiered in the same year in Berlin. The song is part of a larger collection of songs called "Fünf Lieder für eine Frauenstimme" (Five Songs for a Female Voice). The song is in the key of F major and has a moderate tempo. It is written for a solo soprano voice and piano accompaniment. The text of the song is a poem by Richard Dehmel, which tells the story of Gretel, a young girl who is lost in the forest and is eventually rescued by her brother. The song is divided into three distinct sections or movements. The first movement is slow and melancholic, with the piano playing a simple, repetitive melody while the soprano sings the opening lines of the poem. The second movement is more lively and upbeat, with the soprano singing about the beauty of the forest and the birds that live there. The piano accompaniment is more complex in this section, with fast arpeggios and trills. The final movement is the most dramatic, as Gretel becomes lost in the forest and begins to panic. The soprano sings with increasing urgency, while the piano plays dissonant chords and runs up and down the keyboard. Eventually, Gretel's brother appears and rescues her, and the song ends on a triumphant note. Overall, Gretel, Op. 11/5 is a beautiful and emotional song that showcases Pfitzner's skill as a composer. The use of different tempos and moods throughout the song helps to tell the story of Gretel's journey through the forest, and the soprano's voice is perfectly suited to the dramatic and expressive nature of the music.

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